Food container with embedded sifting apparatus

ABSTRACT

This device is an airtight food storage container, with a sifting compartment built into the bottom portion. The container includes lids at both the top and bottom. The top lid can be opened to pour out the larger pieces of food, while the bottom lid can be opened to remove smaller pieces from the container. The embedded sifter is adjustable so the size and amounts of food to be separated can be controlled. This is made possible by the combination of an adjuster plate and sifter device. The sifting device has alternating rows of small and large holes. The adjuster plate, which is placed directly beneath the sifting device, has rows of open slots, which correspond with the holes. The user can slide the adjuster plate to align the slots with either small or large holes, which will vary the degree of sifting.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This nonprovisional application is a continuation of and claims priority to provisional application No. 61/764,280, entitled “Food Container with Embedded Sifting Apparatus”, filed Feb. 13, 2013 by the same inventor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a food container. More specifically, it relates to a food container embedded with an adjustable sifting device for separating unwanted particles from substances held within the container.

2. Brief Description of the Related Art

Food storage containers that provide an air tight seal are relatively well known in the art. The containers can vary in sizes and complexity depending on the specifics of the food being stored, Generally, these containers are made of plastic materials that snap together in order to seal the contents from air or other pollutants. A popular food storage container is the cereal container.

Cereal containers usually include a plastic retention piece for storing the cereal and a plastic lid designed to seal the cereal contents within the retention piece. An example of this is substantially shown in the RUBBERMAID® Home 1777195 Cereal Keeper. The device includes a cereal compartment having an open and a cover assembly removably secured over the cereal compartment opening. Cover assembly includes an aperture that extends less than the entirety of the cover assembly. A plastic cap, hingedly engaged with the cover assembly, communicates with the cover assembly aperture to create a complete seal of the cover assembly. Plastic cap may be removed to open the aperture and permit food contents to exit container through the aperture in the cover assembly.

Cereal containers have a variety of known uses. They provide a sealable enclosure that keeps cereal fresh for a longer period of time. The cereal containers can also assist in providing a convenient way to store cereal. Finally, cereal containers can help in preventing foreign pollutants and substances from corning into contact with the food contents stored inside. However, food containers, and more specifically cereal containers, lack the ability to segregate substances held within the container.

Segregation of food substances already contained within allows a user to remove unwanted particles from the contained food. Unwanted particles may include crumbs, dust, or even specific size pieces of food. This is particularly useful for cereal, which often accumulates small pieces or crumbs at the bottom of the container. There exists a need for a food container with an embedded sifting apparatus for segregation of food. particles. Additionally, there exists a need for a retention member that can facilitate in capture and storage of sifted food particles for later removal or consumption.

However, in view of the art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the field of this invention how the shortcomings of the prior art could be overcome.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a food container with the embedded sifting apparatus removed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 depicts a close view of the embedded sifting apparatus communicatively coupled with a food container in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 depicts a food container with the embedded sifting apparatus removed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 depicts a close view of the embedded sifting apparatus communicatively coupled with a food container in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 depicts a close view of the embedded sifting apparatus communicatively coupled with a food container with a removable lid in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 an exploded view of a food container with embedded sifting apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and within which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments by which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term “or” is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

This device is an airtight food storage container, with a sifting compartment built into the bottom portion. The combination of motion, gravity, and holes in the sifting plate separate smaller particles, which fall into the bottom compartment, from larger food particles which remain in the top portion. When used with breakfast cereal, this container will separate cereal dust and crumbs from larger cereal pieces.

The novel invention includes a food storage container having a first opening and a second opening. First opening and second opening are disposed in transversely spaced apart, parallel relation to one another by a predetermined distance. First opening includes a cover assembly removably secured over the food storage container, such that first opening is sealed when the cover assembly is applied. Cover assembly includes an aperture that extends less than the entirety of the cover assembly. A plastic cap, hingedly engaged with the cover assembly, communicates with the cover assembly aperture to create a complete seal of the cover assembly. Plastic cap may be removed to open the aperture and permit food contents to exit container through the aperture in the cover assembly.

A stopper is placed within the food storage container towards the second opening as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, and 6. In a preferred embodiment the stopper is made of rubber to form an airtight seal. Stopper is communicatively engaged with a sifter apparatus.

Sifter apparatus includes a sifter member that if placed within food storage container through second opening as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 6. Sifter member includes a plurality of apertures used for allowing particles of the aperture sizes to pass through. In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of apertures are varying sizes as shown in FIGS. 4-6. Stopper engages with sifter apparatus to form a seal and prevent food particles from exiting second opening. When sifter member is engaged with food storage container an inward facing side and an outward facing side are created. Inward facing side engages stopper and faces into food storage container. Outward facing side faces towards second opening. Outward faces side engages an adjuster plate.

Adjuster plate contains a plurality of apertures that line up with specific apertures on the sifter member. The adjuster plate slidably engages sifter member such that the plurality of apparatuses between sifter member and adjuster plate move in and out of alignment. When the apertures align, particles equal to, or less than, the aperture size may freely pass through sifter apparatus. If the adjuster plate moves to place the apparatuses out of alignment no particles are able to pass through. In a preferred embodiment the adjuster plate and sifter member may change between several different settings to permit varying degrees of particles to pass through depending on user preference. This is substantially illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. Holding member(s) engage adjuster plate to hold adjuster plate and sifter apparatus within food storage container. In a preferred embodiment, holding member(s) form a part of sifter apparatus. In an alternative embodiment, holding members are formed within food storage container to create a non-removable sifter apparatus.

Second opening includes a second cover assembly removably secured over the second opening, such that second opening is sealed when the cover assembly is applied. Cover assembly includes an aperture that extends less than the entirety of the cover assembly. A plastic cap, hingedly engaged with the cover assembly, communicates with the cover assembly aperture to create a complete seal of the cover assembly. Plastic cap may be removed to open the aperture and permit food contents to exit container through the aperture in the cover assembly.

Sifter apparatus includes a gap portion formed between adjuster plate and second opening. Gap portion is illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. Gap portion inherently creates a retaining area for sifted particles to accumulate. Accumulated particles may be removed by removing second cover assembly.

In a preferred embodiment the food storage container is a cereal storage container. Using the invention with a cereal storage container allows for cereal crumbs to be segregated. Cereal crumbs may be thrown away or used separately from the non-segregated cereal. An advantage of the present invention is the ability for a user's first bowl of cereal to be just as good as the last bowl of cereal. This is achieved by removing crumbs and excess cereal pieces that have been sifted.

The advantages set forth above, and those made apparent from the foregoing description, are efficiently attained. Since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matters contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A food storage apparatus with embedded sifting mechanism, comprising: a container with a front, a back, two (2) sides, a top portion with an open top, and a bottom portion with an open bottom; a top detachable lid removably coupled to said top portion in overlying relation to said open top; a sifting apparatus coupled to said bottom portion in underlying relation to said open bottom, said sifting apparatus including an array of apertures having at least two (2) different size diameters; an adjuster plate slidably disposed in underlying relation to said sifting apparatus, said adjuster plate including a plurality of elongate apertures, each of which can be aligned with at least a portion of said array of apertures of said sifting apparatus depending on the slidable position of said adjuster plate; a bottom detachable lids removably disposed in underlying relation to said adjuster plate.
 2. A food storage apparatus as in claim 1, comprising: a top opening lid hingedly formed in said top detachable lid for dispensing the contents within said container.
 3. A food storage apparatus as in claim 1, comprising: a bottom opening lid hingedly formed in said bottom detachable lid for dispensing the contents filtered through said sifting apparatus and said adjuster plate from said container. 